Tag Archives: BSP Playoff Final

AFC Wimbledon and Luton Town travel up to Manchester today for a face off that sees the victors claim that most valuable of prizes. A place in the Football League.

The clash at Manchester City’s Eastlands stadium will see two great clubs try to get back to where they feel that they belong, as both have suffered differing but equally drastic circumstances that sees them fighting it out in the nether regions of English Football.

AFC Wimbledon is of course the Phoenix that rose from the ashes after the original Wimbledon made the controversial 2003 move to Milton Keynes, leaving their South London supporters distraught. It was their commitment and perseverance though that sees their new form on the brink of the League again.

1988. The "Crazy Gang" after conquering Liverpool.

Luton Town were relegated from the Football League in 2008/09 after receiving a thirty point penalty for financial irregularities, a punishment that most believed to be too harsh. They had already received a points deduction the season before and the new owners and long suffering supporters had to live with the repercussions of the previous regimes misdemeanors.

For the supporters of these clubs, 1988 must seem like a long time ago, but staggeringly on April 9th of that year, they met at White Hart Lane to contest the FA Cup Semi Final. 23 years ago, the fortunes of both were very different. Both sides were in the top flight, Luton had already won that season’s League Cup and would finish 9th, Wimbledon would go on to win one of the most famous upsets in FA cup final history and take 7th spot.

1988. The Hatters after downing Arsenal at Wembley.

For the neutral’s both clubs will find plenty of support, as both have had the sympathy of other fans over their years of decline, so whatever happens today, come Six o’clock, the football league will be welcoming back an old friend…